NFL player safety back in the spotlight over concussion protocols |
The issue of concussions and head injuries in the NFL has long been contentious, but the recent handling of Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's injuries has raised a number of questions about how the league is handling player safety. Last week, Tagovailoa was knocked out of a game against the Buffalo Bills after a hit forced the Dolphins QB's helmet to hit the turf. He shook his head, came back to his feet and then stumbled. He was ultimately cleared and returned to the game in the third quarter. But just four days later, playing against the Cincinnati Bengals, Tagovailoa was sacked and lay motionless on the field for several minutes. Video showed that Tagovailoa's forearms were flexed and his fingers contorted. This is known as a fencing response and can be linked to a brain injury. I had the chance to speak with NFL Chief Medical Officer Dr. Allen Sills, who told me, "Of course, I am concerned just like you as a neurosurgeon, and anyone with a significant injury and neurologic signs like that." "The immediate concern is … making sure that the moment we do everything that we can to provide the most expert and timely care … securing the airway, making sure that there is not a spine injury and so on and so forth." The NFL Players Association initiated an investigation into the initial handling of Tagovailoa's injuries, and over the weekend, one of the unaffiliated neurotrauma consultants who was involved in the decision to clear him to continue playing against the Bills was let go by the NFLPA. In a statement, the NFL and the NFLPA said that they agreed that modifications to the concussion protocol are needed and that they anticipate changes in the coming days. |
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Alzheimer's drug slows progression of cognitive decline in clinical trial |
A monoclonal antibody treatment for Alzheimer's disease called lecanemab slows the progression of cognitive decline by 27% compared with a placebo, drugmakers Biogen and Eisai said. The drug, tested in a Phase 3 global clinical trial, also met all secondary endpoints, showing "target engagement" with reduced amyloid levels – a protein that is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's – and positive effects on cognition and the ability to perform everyday tasks when compared with a placebo. "In the past, reducing amyloid in the brain has not always been tied to cognitive improvements or any meaningful clinical improvements. In this study, every endpoint was positive. That's never happened before," said Dr. Richard Isaacson, director of the Alzheimer's Prevention Clinic in the Center for Brain Health at Florida Atlantic University's Schmidt College of Medicine. About 2.8% of trial participants who took the drug had a symptomatic side effect called ARIA-E – swelling in the brain – but none of those taking the placebo did. The rate of symptomatic ARIA-H – brain bleeding and iron buildup in tissue – was 0.7% in the drug group and 0.2% in the placebo group. Overall, there were ARIA side effects in 21.3% of the trial participants taking lecanemab, but Isaacson cautions that when people receive this type of treatment, they need to be monitored closely throughout the process. Symptomatic side effects are a more important measure, he says. "When this drug is used correctly, the side effects are manageable, and the negative outcomes are preventable in most cases," Isaacson said. |
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FDA authorization for updated Covid-19 boosters could be expanded to younger ages as soon as early this month |
US Food and Drug Administration authorization for updated Covid-19 boosters could be expanded to younger age groups soon, a source close to planning discussions tells CNN. Moderna has asked for authorization for children as young as 6, and Pfizer for children ages 5 through 11. Shots can't be given until the FDA authorizes the updated vaccines for those age groups and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends them. The FDA said in a statement that it "will review the requests as expeditiously as possible using our thorough and science-based approach." If any questions or concerns emerge that require input from its independent vaccine advisers, it will schedule a meeting to discuss them. The CDC told CNN that its own Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices reviewed data around the updated Covid-19 boosters at its September 1 meeting. "Since ACIP has already reviewed the relevant data – and in order to avert delays in providing updated boosters for children ages 5 through 11 years – once manufacturing and production are complete and EUAs are available, we anticipate CDC will make a recommendation for use of these products, and help make them available to children ages 5 through 11 across the United States," the agency said. Like the boosters that became available for older people last month, these bivalent boosters target the original coronavirus strain as well as the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 subvariants. |
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FDA proposes updates to "healthy" claim on food packages |
The "healthy" cereal you're eating for breakfast may not be so healthy. In fact, certain cereals with high amounts of added sugars still meet the definition of "healthy," but salmon, which is high in beneficial polyunsaturated fat, does not. To help consumers understand what is nutritious, the FDA is proposing changes to the nutrition standards that foods must meet before they can carry the "healthy" label on their packages. About 5% of foods are labeled as being healthy, which is a regulated claim. Foods that make the claim have limits on individual nutrients like fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium, and they must contain minimum amounts of vitamins A and C, calcium, iron, protein and dietary fiber. Instead of counting only individual nutrients, the FDA is proposing that "healthy" claims also take into account the variety of nutrients present in foods, as well as the nutrient density. In order to be labeled "healthy," products would need to: - Contain a certain, meaningful amount of food from at least one of the food groups or subgroups – such as fruits, vegetables or dairy – recommended by the Dietary Guidelines.
- Adhere to specific limits for certain nutrients, such as saturated fat, sodium and added sugars. The threshold is based on a percent of the daily value for the nutrient and varies depending on the food and food group. The limit for sodium, for example, is 10% of the DV.
Nutrition advocates say the proposed rule has some strengths but doesn't go nearly far enough to encourage better food choices. "The potential impact as we see it is fairly limited," said Eva Greenthal, senior science policy associate at the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest. |
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| A new study found that various types of coffee – decaffeinated, ground and instant – could all protect you from heart disease and an early death. |
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Last year, someone in the US died by suicide every 11 minutes. Suicide rates have been rising for decades, increasing 31% over the past 20 years. Sadly, new numbers from the CDC show that after a two-year decline, suicide rates in the US increased again in 2021. About 48,000 people died of suicide in the US in 2021 – nearly 1,700 more than the year before. Suicide is a major contributor to premature death in the US, and it is the second leading cause of death for people ages 10–34. In 2021, people ages 25 to 34 were most likely to die by suicide, surpassing seniors 75 and older, who had the highest rate in 2020. And overall, men are four times more likely than women to die by suicide, a gap that continued to grow in 2021. Oftentimes, people think they can't help someone struggling with despair, but experts say there are always ways to help our loved ones. The National Association of Mental Illness says it is a myth that "once an individual is suicidal, he or she will always remain suicidal." Some factors can influence the level or probability of suicide risk, like genetics and self-injury, but how people face suicide is often situation-specific. Suicide "is often an attempt to control deep, painful emotions and thoughts," NAMI says. "Once these thoughts dissipate, so will the suicidal ideation. While suicidal thoughts can return, they are not permanent. An individual with suicidal thoughts and attempts can live a long, successful life." If someone you care about is struggling, you may notice signs including expressions of hopelessness, extreme mood swings, obsession with death or lethal means, or substance abuse problems. Start by listening to them. Ask them an open-ended question: "Hey, I've noticed life's gotten overwhelming these past couple days. Do you want to tell me about it?" As they respond, listen, express appreciation to them for sharing their story, and offer to help figure it out together, without giving advice on how to handle it. Reporting on the numbers alone can be staggering, but it can give us all hope that we can start to help by reaching out and listening to each other. |
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| Imagine not being able to recognize the people you see every single day: your coworkers, your friends, your loved ones. Prosopagnosia, or "face blindness" as it's commonly known, is a disorder that impacts about 1 in 50 people, and some may may not even know about it. |
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